Cutter sleeves for doughnut making machines



May 9, 1961 J. N. HERRINGTON CUTTER SLEEVES FOR DOUGHNUT MAKING MACHINES Filed Nov. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY May 9, 1961 J. N. HERRINGTON 2,983,233

CUTTER SLEEVES FOR DOUGHNUT MAKING MACHINES Filed Nov. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INvENToR g BY 5%@ ATTORNEY United States Patent Oil 2,983,233 CUTTER SLEEVES FOR'DOUGHNUT MAKING MACHINES John N. Herrington, 302 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, Del., assignor to Chace D. Gilmore, West Chester, Pa.

med Nov. 14, 195s, ser. No. 773,951

140mm. (ci. iov-14) which cut off the dough shapes when they move into contact with xed disks. These disks are supported on the die tubes but are spaced from the 4lower edges thereof to form an extrusion opening. An example of such a machine is shown in the Bergner Patent No. 1,492,542.

Machines of the described type work satisfactorily when the die parts have not been damaged, are in perfect adjustment and are suppliedv with a good grade of dough mix. But frequently after some weeks or months of operation, difhculties arise due to damage to or wear of the metal parts. The knife edges particularly are likely to be damaged, as the hot dies are not infrequently dropped by unskilled workmen. When considerable wear or damage has occurred, Stringing or dripping of'the dough from the mouth of the die will be observed. Sometimes a dough string will hold a doughshape suspended from the end of the die tube; meanwhile, another dough shape has vbeen formed by the machine andisl piled or massed on top of thestill hanging'doughshape. Nearly always the strings and gobs of dough will fallinto the kettleY of hot liquid fat directly below the die, and will quickly fry to blackness. This darkens the entire batch of fat, which presently becomes unusable. 'I'liemachine-must then be shut down and the darkfat` must Ybe `filtered to remove the carbon particles,v or it must be discarded. The mat chine operator must also remove the defective die assembly andY return it to the-doughnut machine factory for reconditioning. The cost of this is considerable: not only the reconditioning Vcharge made by the factory but the far more serious-money loss due to 1stopping production manipulation.

Patented May 9, 1961 Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 3y but showing a modiied form of elastomeric ring mounted on a modified cutter sleeve;

Fig. 5 is a view like Figs. 3 and 4 but showing another form of cutter sleeve having an inner elastomeric lining bonded to it provided with an embossed surface;

Fig. 6 is ya view like Fig. 5 except the embossed design is somewhat different;

Fig. 7 is -a view like Figs. 5 and 6 but showing a different embossed design;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section through still another form of cutter sleeve made principally of two elastomeric segments bonded to each other; and

Fig. 9 is a -detail cross section online 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Referring particularly to the drawings, and rst to Figs. 1 and 2, the cutter sleeve A includes a grooved steel ring 10, a steel'sleeve 11,' which is cylindrical and rigidly fixed to the steel ring as by shrink-fitting, and a snap-on elastomeric ring 12 resiliently locked on the lower end of sleeve 11 to provide 'a flexible, removable cutting edge. Ring 12 may be of Buna N artificial rubber. 'I'he lower end of sleeve 11 has a circular groove 13 milled in it and below the groove 13 the sleeve is beveled as at 14 and tapers to an vedge 15. The elastomeric ring 12 has an internal. circular` rib or flange 16 which fits and resiliently locks in groove 13, preventing the ring from falling or being pulled oi the sleeve except by deliberate The intermediate section of elastomeric ring 12 is beveled to conform to and lie flat against the beveled surface 14, the resilience of said ring causing a tight hugging of the sleeve. At its lower extremity, ring 12 is somewhatthicker and covers and projects below sleeve edge 15 to provide the somewhat exible doughcutting edge 17 which my invention seeks to provide. The described elastomeric ring may be placed on the sleeve by hand and may beremoved by stretching it with the lingers, no special Vtools being required.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cutter sleeve A reciprocates over the die tube 20 which is fixed to the bottom of the dough can (not shown) of the'doughnut-making machine. A yoke (not shown) is rocked by power to effect such reciprocation. A disk 23 is fixed to die tube 20 and is spaced from the lower end thereof to provide -an'extrusion opening for the dough. The cuttingedge 17 contacts the disk 23 to cut olf the dough shape which then falls into the kettle of hot fat (not shown) that' is below the die assembly' of Figs. Il and 2. The'llexibility of the cutting edge is highlyelective to obviate Stringing and dripping of the dough, as it cannot be damaged by ordinary 'usage or' carelessness; furthermore the'elastof meric edge 17 Wears even better than steel.

The embodiment ofthe invention shown in Fig.4 is

very similar tothe form of Figs. 1, 2` and 3. Here the and putting a new orr'eeonditiorieddieassembly ou the u machine to replace the one removed. I

AThe present inventionprovides a simple cutter sleeve construction which will lower thecost of operating machines of the character described, and will increase prov duction by minimizing shutdownsv due `to the described .diiliculties 1 These are the advantages and'hence the broad objects of the invention described herein. More specific objects willbe pointed out in the following description, or will be obvious to those skilled in the Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Y v

Fig. 1 is va longitudinal section ,through `the improved die assembly, showing the cutter sleeve in anelevated position;

Fig. 2. is a sectional elevation of the same showing the cutter sleeve in its lowermost or dough-cutting position; Y Fig. 3 is afragmentary sectionalv view, on an enlarged scale, showing an elastomeric ring mounted lon the lower end ofthe cutter sleeve Aof Figs. 111x112; A,

7 stretches circumferentially.

steel cutter sleeve 30 has a circular groove 31 milled in its outer wall near itsV lower end, and also, has a beveled surface 32 below groove 31, a narrower beveled surface 33 below surface l32, and aninternal' circular groove 34 spaced slightly above the lowerlextremity. An elastomeric ring v35'has a rib or flange 36 which lits 'in groove 31 and another rib orV ang'e37 in va .lower horizontal plane which ,fits in groove 34. The intermediate portion 38 of ring 35 is'shaped to hug or conform to the beveled surfaces 32, 33, while the lower extremity 39 (the knife edge) is a circular projection of suiicient flexibility to obviate the Stringing or dripping previously mentioned. The lower edge 39 -is more massive than the edge 16 of the lpreviously.described form, but its nflexibility may be about the same. By the provision of two locking flanges 36,37, ringl 35 is more securelylocked in place than is ring 12, yet ring 35 may be removed manually yas it also Y Injthe third embodiment of the invention, shown in t Figs; S, 9j ,the steel cutter sleeve@ has.Y a beveled f r 3 -lower end 41V with its extremity squared ott as at 42. An elastomeric lining 43 is^bonded to the entire interior surface of sleeve 40 and has its lower c nd made suiciently massive to have a shoulder 44 which isl bonded to'gthe sleeve end 42. The lower extremity of lining 43 'is tapered as at 45 Vto provide a exible dough-cutting edge v46, in accordance with the invention.'-The liningr43 may be of Buna N or other tough-somewhat flexible articial rubber or elastomer. Y Y Y Inasmuch as the sliding friction'ofeBunaN or the like 'on the steel surface of the die tube is considerablegl desire to minimize this friction in two ways. provide on the interiorsurfaceof the lining an embossed design, such as the diamond'design 47 of Fig. 5, o r the square design 48 of Fig.6, or the honeycomb design49 of Fig.Y 7, or any equivalent design providing a multiplicity of ridges and pockets. Theridges of each design are'about 0.005 in. high, and the tops of these ridges make the Y'only contact with the outer surface ofthe die tube.

'As .the total area ofthe contacting surfaces is only-a small fraction ofY the total area of the lining-43, sliding friction of the cutter sleeve over the die tube is greatly First, I

reduced. Second, I propose to lubricate the surfaces of i the liningVV 43 'and the die tube-with the edible. oil or fat which 'is `used to fry the' doughnuts. This may b'e .alccomplished in several ways, one of which is disclosed in theChace D. Gilmore Patent No.'2,9l5,992, dated December 8, 1959. According to this Gilmore patent, the edible oil is pumped intermittently to the die assembly and `ows down as a lm between the die tube and the cutter sleeve. With this arrangement, the edible oil will collect in the pockets formed in the embossed design (whatever it is) -and will spread as ailm over the stationary die tube, which will also aid in reducing the friction of the sliding cutter sleeve, and of course will reduce wear of the lining and ,the surfaces contacting it.

- The fourth formfofmy invention is shown in Fig. 8.

In this lembodimentihe steel cutter sleeve is dispensed i with and the entirecutter sleeve is a molded elastomeric: body, except the grooved steel ring51 which isconventional, being engaged by the oscillating yokepreviously mentioned. Sleeve 50 is bonded tothe inside surface and lower face of ring 51 to make a rigid semifperrnanent as -v sembly. The inner surfaceof sleeve 50 jpreferably has an'embossed design, shown .only in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 for thereasonsy explained above. To give the desiredflexif bility to the lower Vedge and yet provide .a -suiciently rigid""sleeve body, the cutter sleeve 5 0." ispmadegfroin two different elastomeric bodies ior segments, ,a Vrelatively hard,.unyielding shell `or cylinder 52iandV a more flexible shell yor cylinder 53 inside cylinderSZ, with the lower 'extremity of cylinder v53 forming a slightly yielding dough cutting edge 54 YThese. two cylinders may be of Buna N of different specifications, bonded together, with ^thelower extremity 54 projecting below the Vlower end of cylinder- 52 to afford the differential flexibility of the cutter-.sleeve of the die tube, and apower-reciprocated cutter sleeve moved over the die tube into contact with the disk to cut off the dough extruded from the die tube; said cutter sleeve having a cylindrical form and a somewhat flexible elastomeric lower edge which contacts the disk to eutV the dough shape. if

2. The inyention denedin claim l, wherein .the cutter sleeve is made of metal .and Vhasitsiower end of reduced wall thickness; and the somewhat flexible elastomeric lower Vedge provided byA Van elastomeric body -secured to said-lower.erid, Ysaid'lowerl edg'elbeing circular and being yadapted to c ut the dough. shape in co-operatiori with said disk." 'l

3. The invention vdefined in` claim'. f2, wherein the elastomeric body is a ring which is held on said lower end by its own resilience and by interengaging surfaces on the ring and said lower end; said ring being manually removable. Y

4. The invention defined 'in claim 3, wherein said lower end has a groove formed in it and extending all around, and the elastomeric 'ringhas an inwardly projecting flange which ts in said groove to aid in locking the ring on said lower end. Y

5. The invention defined in claim 4, wherein said lower en'd has a groove formed inthe outside wall and another groove formed in the inside wall, both grooves being circular and lying in different horizontal planes; the elastomeric ring having-complemental anges fitting insaidgrooves.v y f 6. Theinvention definedy inclaiiril, wherein the cutter sleeve'is of metal and an elastomeric lining is bonded to the inner cylindrical surface of said sleeve; the lower end of said elastomeric*` lining being of greater thickness than the principal part of the lining and said lower end being bonded to and lying below the lower edge of said sleeve and having at its lower extremity a somewhat exible cutting edge of sucient thinness to effect cutting of the dough shape. i

n 7. The invention defnedjn claim 6, wherein the entire inner surface of said bonded lining has anA embossed design formed on it providing a multiplicity of raised ridges which forma multiplicityt of pockets'for lubricating oil and which sliding friction of the cutter sleeve with whichV they are; in contact.r Y'

8. The: inventionV defined inI claim 7',` wherein said ernbossed design has ridges aboutfaOOS Yinch high and forming ahoneycomb design. i j i n 9. The invention deined in L claini 7,'wlierein said :em

bossed design has ridges aboutiODOS inch high and forniing a multiplicityfof connected diamondshapd g'ures, l0. The invention definedv inclaim 7 wherein said'ernbossed design has ridges abouttLOQS inch high and form- 'l inga multiplicityfof connected quadrilateral figures.V

which is attained, in a diierent way,' in1 the three vforms described previously. 1^

. All f ourformsof cutter have affrigidmor .rela-1 tively rigid cylindrical body and a5somewhat tlexible elastomeric lower edge which Vcontactsthe disk Pattachedto the die tube to cut thedoughshape toV permit' it .to fall` into the hot fat below. All'fourviorm's are so made asV to overcomeA the operating diculties mentionedabove. Theexibilityof each knife oppung edge is so con; trolled that While the edgeflegies suiciently tolprevent` stringing'ory Vdripping of `the dough, itrgwill yetfhavesiii:

cient Vstiffness to cut the dough shape. .N can be Y made to perform this dual function.`

obviously the frm embodiments describen hereinr are 70 merely illustrative andlothereriibodiments b e devised within the scope of theappended claims.V I` .l l

VWhat I claim is:

die'tube, a disk txedto and spaced'troni"theY lower Ae'iid Y 11. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein the cutter sleeve has a metallic grooved'frji'igjv adapted to be engaged'by the rocking yoke of the doughnut-makingv machine; and a cylindrical elastomeric body is rigid ly secured to said grooved ring von the insidethereof sofas to lform therewitha unitary 'sleeve which is 'Vrecip'rocable by said yoke; the lower endiofn's'aid elastomeric.'Y body providf ing said somewhat tlexible elastomeric dough-cutting edge.

' Y12; 'Ihe invention dened'in'claimll, wherein the cutter sleeve has aV metallic ring adapted tobeengagedby power operated mechanism itoi reciprocate the utterjsleeve; and a eyliudrcal elastgmericbody ,is` rigidly securedj to said metallic ring; said cylindrical'elastomericbodycomprising lower end of the outer shell to provide a somewhat flexible dough-cutting edge?? f l machine of the type employinga`ited dough-delivering adapted to beenggeldby' tlievroking Vyoke vof the dough;

being of elastomeric material bonded .to the inner surface of said grooved ring so as to form'therewith a unitary reciprocable member which is moved by the yoke over said vdie tube into contact with said disk to cut off the dough shape; the lower edges of said elastomeric cutter sleeve having sucient exibility to'obviate Stringing of the dough.

14. 'I'he invention dened in claim 13, wherein the cutter sleeve comprises two cylindrical shells bonded together, one shell being relatively hard and unyielding, the other shell being inside the rst mentioned shell and projecting below the lower end of the rst mentioned shell and being relatively flexible to provide a somewhat yielding dough-cutting edge.

Rnferenees Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Nehr Sept. 19, 1905 Dragon Feb. 3, 1920 Parker et al May 1, 1934 Wikstrom June 26, 1934 Berry et al July 9, 1946 Magnuson et al May 9, 1950 Coyne Apr. 21, 1953 Vogt lune 4, 1957 

